Benjamin Lee
Market Street
Llandudno
LL30 2SR
In need of a snack while out and about in Llandudno I swerved the chain cafes and sandwich shops and made a bee-line for the Benjamin Lee Bakery and Sandwich Shop on Market Street.
The second shop opened by artisan baker Ben and his partner Dominika, it's tucked away from the high street and the predatory seagulls on its own.
With a bench out front all that makes it stand out, its understated shop front would be easy to miss. But step inside and it's a feast for your eyes, with sumptuous cakes, pastries, pies, pasties and tarts all vying for your attention, along with an array of locally-sourced meats and sandwich fillings.
It was quiet when I arrived just before lunch, which was great because I had a chance to take in the range of options available.
I opted for a solid staple - the traditional pork pie. I'm a fan of a good pork pie and let me tell you, Ben's take on it means Llandudno is now giving Melton Mowbray a run for its money.
Larger than your typical pork pie, with a shorter, flatter shape, there was always a risk it would be a heavy meal - but it was surprisingly not. The pastry was the perfect thickness, the pork was well seasoned and the inside was filled to the edges with very little space.
The result was a pie that filled without feeling stodgy and tasted great. For £2.50 it was great value too - slightly more than a chain bakery but this was a different class of pie.
Ambitiously at the time, I also ordered a dessert - an enormous chocolate and hazelnut Danish Pastry. for £3 I was expecting something good, but not this good.
Beautifully thin layers of pastry were crisp without being too crumbly, making it an easy eat on the move.
But as with the pie, what looked as if it should taste overly rich instead felt light and airy.
It had a fullness of flavour from the chocolate sauce, hazelnuts and crème pâtissière and it certainly dealt with my hunger, but even together these sweet and savoury classics were satisfying without delivering that typical afternoon sluggishness that often follows a bakery lunch.
Benjamin Lee has brought fantastic food to the heart of Llandudno at a price that allows anyone to treat themselves to a lunch upgrade.
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